day fifteen: knowledge of sin

Pray for our spiritual retreat with Brennan Manning this weekend at the CUBE. Sign up here or come to register at 6:45 P.M. Click here for more information

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. 17For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for[f]the sins of the people. 18Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. (Hebrews 2:14-18)


"The French poet Paul Claudel said that the greatest sin is to lose the sense of sin. The man without a lively sense of the horrow of sin does not know Jesus Christ crucified. The knowledge that sin exists and that we are sinners comes only from the Cross. We can delude ourselves into thinking that sin is only an abberation or a lack of maturity; that preoccupation with security, pleasure, and power is caused by oppresive social structures and personality quirks; that we are sinful but not sinners, since we are mere victims of circumstances, compulsions, environment, addictions, upbringing, and so forth. The Passion nails these lies and rationalizations to the Cross of Truth."

Brennan Manning
The Importance of Being Foolish